Day 1 (Monday)
1 Maccabees 1:10-24, 29-36, 41-64
Last time, we saw Ezra the priest lead the people in purifying themselves, laying aside all those who had lead them into sin and pledging themselves once more to God. This time, we will see what happened in the centuries after Ezra (who was present sometime between the 450’s and the 390’s BC). Alexander the Great conquered Jerusalem and the surrounding area along with the rest of the Persian Empire in 333 BC, and after his death, the region came under the power first of the Hellenistic kingdom of Egypt, until 200 BC, and then under the power of the Seleucid Empire until 167 BC. These are the dates in question in the story we will read today, summing up 150 years of history. We recommend the entire book of 1 Maccabees to anyone who is interested in understanding better what the people were expecting Jesus to do, but will read only selections here at the end of Year 4. We will pick up the story with Antiochus, of the Seleucid Empire.
Antiochus Epiphanes and Renegade Jews
10 From them came forth a sinful root, Antiochus Epiphanes, son of King Antiochus; he had been a hostage in Rome. He began to reign in the one hundred thirty-seventh year of the kingdom of the Greeks.
11 In those days certain renegades came out from Israel and misled many, saying, “Let us go and make a covenant with the Gentiles around us, for since we separated from them many disasters have come upon us.” 12 This proposal pleased them, 13 and some of the people eagerly went to the king, who authorized them to observe the ordinances of the Gentiles. 14 So they built a gymnasium in Jerusalem, according to Gentile custom, 15 and removed the marks of circumcision, and abandoned the holy covenant. They joined with the Gentiles and sold themselves to do evil.
Antiochus in Egypt
16 When Antiochus saw that his kingdom was established, he determined to become king of the land of Egypt, in order that he might reign over both kingdoms. 17 So he invaded Egypt with a strong force, with chariots and elephants and cavalry and with a large fleet. 18 He engaged King Ptolemy of Egypt in battle, and Ptolemy turned and fled before him, and many were wounded and fell. 19 They captured the fortified cities in the land of Egypt, and he plundered the land of Egypt.
Persecution of the Jews
20 After subduing Egypt, Antiochus returned in the one hundred forty-third year. He went up against Israel and came to Jerusalem with a strong force. 21 He arrogantly entered the sanctuary and took the golden altar, the lampstand for the light, and all its utensils. 22 He took also the table for the bread of the Presence, the cups for drink offerings, the bowls, the golden censers, the curtain, the crowns, and the gold decoration on the front of the temple; he stripped it all off. 23 He took the silver and the gold, and the costly vessels; he took also the hidden treasures that he found. 24 Taking them all, he went into his own land…
The Occupation of Jerusalem
…29 Two years later the king sent to the cities of Judah a chief collector of tribute, and he came to Jerusalem with a large force. 30 Deceitfully he spoke peaceable words to them, and they believed him; but he suddenly fell upon the city, dealt it a severe blow, and destroyed many people of Israel. 31 He plundered the city, burned it with fire, and tore down its houses and its surrounding walls. 32 They took captive the women and children, and seized the livestock. 33 Then they fortified the city of David with a great strong wall and strong towers, and it became their citadel. 34 They stationed there a sinful people, men who were renegades. These strengthened their position; 35 they stored up arms and food, and collecting the spoils of Jerusalem they stored them there, and became a great menace, 36 for the citadel became an ambush against the sanctuary, an evil adversary of Israel at all times… …
Installation of Gentile Cults
…41 Then the king wrote to his whole kingdom that all should be one people, 42 and that all should give up their particular customs. 43 All the Gentiles accepted the command of the king. Many even from Israel gladly adopted his religion; they sacrificed to idols and profaned the sabbath. 44 And the king sent letters by messengers to Jerusalem and the towns of Judah; he directed them to follow customs strange to the land, 45 to forbid burnt offerings and sacrifices and drink offerings in the sanctuary, to profane sabbaths and festivals, 46 to defile the sanctuary and the priests, 47 to build altars and sacred precincts and shrines for idols, to sacrifice swine and other unclean animals, 48 and to leave their sons uncircumcised. They were to make themselves abominable by everything unclean and profane, 49 so that they would forget the law and change all the ordinances. 50 He added, “And whoever does not obey the command of the king shall die.”
51 In such words he wrote to his whole kingdom. He appointed inspectors over all the people and commanded the towns of Judah to offer sacrifice, town by town. 52 Many of the people, everyone who forsook the law, joined them, and they did evil in the land; 53 they drove Israel into hiding in every place of refuge they had.
54 Now on the fifteenth day of Chislev, in the one hundred forty-fifth year, they erected a desolating sacrilege on the altar of burnt offering. They also built altars in the surrounding towns of Judah, 55 and offered incense at the doors of the houses and in the streets. 56 The books of the law that they found they tore to pieces and burned with fire. 57 Anyone found possessing the book of the covenant, or anyone who adhered to the law, was condemned to death by decree of the king. 58 They kept using violence against Israel, against those who were found month after month in the towns. 59 On the twenty-fifth day of the month they offered sacrifice on the altar that was on top of the altar of burnt offering. 60 According to the decree, they put to death the women who had their children circumcised, 61 and their families and those who circumcised them; and they hung the infants from their mothers’ necks.
62 But many in Israel stood firm and were resolved in their hearts not to eat unclean food. 63 They chose to die rather than to be defiled by food or to profane the holy covenant; and they did die. 64 Very great wrath came upon Israel.
Discussion questions:
1) What did you notice in today’s reading? What surprised you or what was memorable to you? (The Leader should note that this is a very ugly situation, and seems likely to be the “troubled time” spoken of in Daniel 9:25. We should also note the faithfulness of many of those who are being martyred here; many of these martyrs are commemorated as saints in the Orthodox Church, and a particular family, whose martyrdom is described in 2 Maccabees 7, is remembered on August 1st. What we should note as well is this phrase, the “desolating sacrilege,” sometimes also translated as the “abomination of desolation,” when the enemies of God’s people erect a pagan altar on top of the altar of burnt offering. This is what the Lord is referring to when He warns His disciples to flee from Jerusalem when they see the abomination of desolation, in Matthe 24:15; it is an expected repetition of this desecration of the Temple and its worship, as occurred in 70 AD when the Temple was destroyed by Titus.)
2) Where do we see Christ in this text; what is He saying or doing here?
3) Do we see ourselves and the Church in this text; what does it say about us?
4) What do you find difficult about this reading? Is there anything confusing about it, or anything that you dislike? (This is an open question, as always. )
5) Does this reading make you think that you need to change anything in your life?
Day 2 (Wednesday)
Irenaeus – Against Heresies 12
Last time, we saw St. Irenaeus go through some consideration of the life of Jacob, providing a series of allegorical readings and morals from the events of his life, and connecting them to the Gospel of the Lord. Strikingly, he did not level any criticism of Jacob for the events of his life, and as we see Irenaeus continue with his series of allegorical readings from the Old Testament this week, we will continue to see him refraining from this, and instead connecting the events of the Old Testament to the life and ministry of the Lord. He explains why he is doing so in next week’s reading, so we should pay attention to this method. (We have been depending on a recent condensation of the work by James Payton; anyone who would like to purchase this book can find it here: https://www.amazon.com/Irenaeus-Christian-Faith-Condensation-Heresies/dp/1608996247/ref=tmm_pap_swatch_0?_encoding=UTF8&qid=&sr=.
St. Irenaeus of Lyons – Against Heresies – Book 4 (excerpts 7)
Book 4, Chapter 30.2
Those who criticize and find fault because by God’s command the people [of Israel], just before they departed, accepted all sorts of vessels and clothing from the Egyptians [Exod 3:21–22; 11:2] and then left—vessels and clothing from which the tabernacle was prepared in the wilderness—show that they are ignorant of the righteous way God deals with humanity. As a presbyter has remarked, if God had not directed things this way in the exodus which served as a type, no one could now be saved in the ultimate exodus—that is, in the faith in which we have been established, and by which we have come out from among the number of the Gentiles.
In some cases a small but in other cases a large amount of property, acquired from the mammon of unrighteousness, comes to the service of the Church. From what source do we derive the houses in which we dwell, the garments in which we are clothed, the vessels we use, and everything else we need for everyday life, if not from those things which, when we were Gentiles, we acquired by avarice or received from our heathen parents, relations, or friends who obtained them unrighteously? Indeed, even now we acquire such things when we are in the faith. For who sells and does not wish to make a profit from the one who buys? Or who purchases anything, and does not wish to obtain good value from the seller? Or who carries on a trade without desiring to earn his livelihood by it?
And with regard to those in the royal palace who believe [cf. Phil 4:23], do they not derive the utensils they employ from the property which belongs to Caesar? And does not each of these Christians give to the poor according to his ability? The Egyptians were debtors to the Jewish people, not just in regard to property, but also for their very lives, because of the kindness of the patriarch Joseph long before. But in what way are the heathen debtors to us, from whom we receive both gain and profit? Whatever they amass with labor we make use of without labor, though we are in the faith. (4:30,1)
Book 4, Chapter 30.2
… So how did the Israelites act unjustly, if out of many things they took a few, when they might have possessed much property if they had not served them [the Egyptians]? They might then have gone forth wealthy; whereas they received only an insignificant payment for their heavy servitude and went away poor.… (4:30,2)
Book 4, Chapter 30.3
If we and they were compared, who would seem to have received their worldly goods in the fairer manner? Would it not be the Jewish people from the Egyptians, who were indebted to the Jewish people, rather than we who receive property from the Romans and other nations, who are under no similar obligation to us? Moreover, because of the Romans’ accomplishments the world is at peace, and so we walk on the highways without fear and sail where we will.…
It is for this sort of thing that the Lord said, “Do not judge, so that you may not be judged. For with the judgment you make you will be judged” [Matt 7:1–2]. By this he did not mean that we should not find fault with sinners, or that we should consent to those who act wickedly; instead, he intends that we should not pronounce an unfair judgment on the dispensations of God, who has ordained all things so that they turn out for good [Rom 8:28], in a way consistent with justice.…
We are shown to be righteous by whatever else we do well, since we thus redeem, as it were, our property from strange hands. But when I say, “from strange hands,” this is not as if the world were not God’s possession. We have gifts of this sort and receive them from others in the same way as the Israelites of old received them from the Egyptians who did not know God. By these gifts we erect in ourselves the tabernacle of God, for God dwells in those who act uprightly, as the Lord says: “Make friends for yourselves by means of dishonest wealth” [Luke 16:9].… (4:30,3)
Book 4, Chapter 30.4
… The whole exodus of the people out of Egypt, which took place under divine guidance, was a type and image of the exodus of the Church which would later take place from among the nations. In the fullness of time, he led it out from this world to be his own inheritance. Moses the servant of God could not bestow it, but Jesus the Son of God gives it. And if anyone devotes close attention to what is stated by the prophets about the end and to what John the disciple of the Lord saw in the Apocalypse [Rev 15–16], he will find that the nations are to receive the same plagues universally as Egypt then did particularly. (4:30,4)
835 words
Discussion questions:
1) What did you notice in today’s reading? What surprised you or what was memorable to you? (The Leader should note how, in the first place, Irenaeus is engaging with criticisms that are made of the Scriptural text, and both defending what happens in the Scripture, pointing out how it was only right that those who had been slaves should leave Egypt with some payment for their work, and then connecting that example with the experience of the Faithful in the Church in the present day. In the second place, we see him say clearly something about our inclination to judge God’s dispensation and commandments, urging that we should not do so. We don’t have sufficient information to judge God, nor do we have any right to judge Him. As we learn more about the situation, God is always vindicated. Something along these lines is expressed in Psalm 50: “that you may be justified when you speak, and blameless when you are judged,” and the same point is expressed at more length at the end of the book of Job.)
2) Where do we see Christ in this text; what is He saying or doing here?
3) Do we see ourselves and the Church in this text; what does it say about us?
4) What do you find difficult about this reading? Is there anything confusing about it, or anything that you dislike? (This is an open question, as always. )
5) Does this reading make you think that you need to change anything in your life?
Day 3 (Friday)
John 16:4b-15 (Work of the Spirit)
Last time we saw the Lord speak to His disciples about His love for them, and His commandment to them that they love one another as He has loved them. He then goes on to tell them that the world will hate them and persecute them, as the world hates and persecutes Him, and that they will suffer greatly. He tells them (and us) this so that when it happens, we will not be surprised or troubled, but will know that He is with us even in those darkest of moments.
The Work of the Spirit
“I did not say these things to you from the beginning, because I was with you. 5 But now I am going to him who sent me; yet none of you asks me, ‘Where are you going?’ 6 But because I have said these things to you, sorrow has filled your hearts. 7 Nevertheless I tell you the truth: it is to your advantage that I go away, for if I do not go away, the Advocate will not come to you; but if I go, I will send him to you. 8 And when he comes, he will prove the world wrong about sin and righteousness and judgment: 9 about sin, because they do not believe in me; 10 about righteousness, because I am going to the Father and you will see me no longer; 11 about judgment, because the ruler of this world has been condemned.
12 “I still have many things to say to you, but you cannot bear them now. 13 When the Spirit of truth comes, he will guide you into all the truth; for he will not speak on his own, but will speak whatever he hears, and he will declare to you the things that are to come. 14 He will glorify me, because he will take what is mine and declare it to you. 15 All that the Father has is mine. For this reason I said that he will take what is mine and declare it to you.
254 words
Discussion questions:
1) What did you notice in today’s reading? What surprised you or what was memorable to you? (The Leader should note that the passage in verses 8-11 is troubling and confusing, and should explain that the word translated “prove” in this case is much more complicated. The dictionary definition includes “cross-examine, question, accuse, convict, disgrace, put to shame, test, refute, correct, put right, and expose. Such difficult passages are a good opportunity to try the different shades of meaning in the place, to see how they might help us to understand. I think that, in this case, the meanings “correct” or “expose” are best. I would expand this as follows: the Holy Spirit will correct the world concerning sin, because they have not believed in Jesus, and concerning righteousness, because Jesus has been correcting them in this regard, but He is now going to the Father, and will not be seen, so the Spirit will continue that work of guiding the world to righteousness, and the Holy Spirit will correct/expose the world concerning judgment, because the ruler of the world is judged, and his power for judgment and condemnation is stripped from him, and the Holy Spirit will correct and reprove and expose where the Devil has done so before. Something along those lines might help this make a bit more sense.)
2) Where do we see Christ in this text; what is He saying or doing here?
3) Do we see ourselves and the Church in this text; what does it say about us?
4) What do you find difficult about this reading? Is there anything confusing about it, or anything that you dislike? (This is an open question, as always. )
5) Does this reading make you think that you need to change anything in your life?